Christmas is right around the corner, which means many families across the country will be gearing up for festive parties, hitting the shops for gifts, and looking forward to spending more time with their loved ones.
Unfortunately, the holidays are not a happy occasion for everyone. In fact, figures from the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District revealed that regional hospitals experience a 40 per cent increase in the number of injuries requiring hospitalization over the Christmas period. Dr. Peter Grant, a senior specialist on staff in the emergency department at St George’s Hospital, said there are several reasons why more accidents happen around Christmas.
“For every road fatality, there are at least ten times as many people with major injuries.”
Speaking in December 2014, Dr. Grant stated, “This year, we treated children who suffered injuries due to accidents involving skateboards, bicycles, and Christmas toys; and elderly patients who suffered falls or other mishaps in the unfamiliar surroundings of nursing homes. relatives”.
People who self-insult during the festive season may be entitled to compensation, depending on the circumstances of their accident. But what types of payments are available? These are some of the main reasons people may contact Christmas injury compensation attorneys.
1. Car accidents
Motor vehicle collisions are more frequent during the holidays, with alcohol consumption and regular travel considered the main contributing factors. Drunk drivers are unlikely to receive car accident compensation, but other road users may be eligible if they are involved in an incident.
Data from the Emergency Medicine Foundation (EMF) showed that Australians collectively suffered 2,500 serious injuries on the country’s roads over the Christmas and New Year period in 2014-15.
“For every road fatality, there are at least 10 times as many people with major injuries and 50 times as many with minor injuries that still interfere with daily life,” said Dr. Aitken, EMF president and emergency specialist.
Because accidents happen more frequently during the festive season.
2. Work accidents
Christmas is a time of generosity, and forecasts suggest that people intend to be especially generous this year. The Australian Retail Association and Roy Morgan Research forecast that holiday spending will reach $46.7 billion in retail stores between November 15 and December 24, up 3.6% from 2014.
However, accidents can happen when companies scramble to meet holiday demand. Last month’s Black Friday sales have already shown how dangerous stores can be when consumers flock to fight for the best deals. Staff members who are injured while doing their jobs may be entitled to workers’ compensation, which can cover lost wages, medical expenses, and a variety of other costs.
3. Slip and falls
The number of people who shopped at brick-and-mortar stores rose 4.1 percent year-on-year in September, according to data from the National Bank of Australia. While this growth was less than the 5.7% annual jump in online retail, the figures indicate that Australians still love shopping for gifts the old-fashioned way.
Experienced injury compensation attorneys can provide expert advice on the likelihood of success of a claim.
With boisterous Christmas crowds filling stores to the point of bursting, the chance of a slip, trip or fall could increase. Whether it’s unsupervised drink spills, boxes in store aisles, or other hazards, busy stores can lead to injuries in many ways.
Claimants who show that they were owed a duty of care while in a public place may be awarded compensation if they can also show that this obligation was breached.
making a claim
These are just three examples of when people may be entitled to payment due to an injury sustained during the holiday season. However, there are many other situations where compensation is appropriate.
